Lewisham cook is runner-up in School Chef of the Year contest

Too many cooks spoil the broth, they say.

But being surrounded by some of the best school chefs in the country did not stop Raheem Morgan, from Lewisham – who has come second in a bake-off with his biggest rivals.

He was runner-up at the School Chef of the Year 2020 national final in Stratford-upon-Avon last week against the 12 top kitchen staff in the country – just missing out on the £1,000 prize.

Raheem’s dishes were Mexican spiced chicken with tomato rice and flatbread, with roasted cauliflower and pickled slaw and winter spiced crumble. His dessert was a berry and apple crumble slice with vanilla sauce.

The cook, pictured above, working for Chartwells Lewisham, is based at Coopers Lane Primary School in Grove Park.

He prepares approximately 420 meals a day for five to 11-year-olds.

Raheem, a school chef for six months, has held posts at the Park Plaza Hotel and was head chef for a Premier Inn.

He has always loved working with ingredients from different parts of the world as he lives and works in a multi-cultural community.

His family has always been his inspiration throughout his career – and poverty is on the rise in the borough, so the meal he and his team provides may be their only hot food of the day.

Against the clock and under the scrutiny of the judges, the contestants had a maximum of £1.30 to spend and 90 minutes to prepare, cook and serve an imaginative, school-compliant two-course menu.